The present invention is directed to a computer system for processing and presenting cost estimates in the construction industry and in particular, to a computer system which enables the operator to simultaneously bring up a plurality of assembly list and/or item list takeoff windows; display such takeoff windows on the system display screen; and count and/or perform measurements relating to the assemblies and/or items included on any of the takeoff windows which have been brought up.
As used herein, the term "construction materials" means electrical; plumbing; telephonic; insulating; heating, ventilating and air conditioning; windows; doors; flooring; roofing; siding; and other construction materials such as structural construction materials. As used herein, the term "assembly database" means a construction material database which includes a construction material assembly list or file of records composed of fields containing data items (e.g. assembly number, assembly name, assembly cost, assembly installation cost, etc.). As used herein, the term "item database" means a construction material database which includes a construction material item or component list or file of records composed of fields containing data items (e.g. item or component number, item or component name, item or component cost, item or component installation cost, etc.). The construction materials of the assembly database and the item database are related in that the items or components listed in the item database may be items or components of assemblies listed in the assembly database as well as stand alone items or components not included in an assembly listed in the assembly database.
Previous computer systems available in the construction industry have included assembly databases and item databases. One such computer system permits the operator or estimator to bring up one takeoff window at a time from either the assembly database or the item database; display the takeoff window on the display screen of the computer system; and count and/or make measurements (such as length) relating to the assemblies or items appearing on that single takeoff window through the use of input hardware interacting with a print plan. If the estimator desires to count and/or measure assemblies or items appearing elsewhere on the database list from which the takeoff window was selected or to change from an assembly count or measurement to an item count or measurement or vise-versa, the takeoff window then being displayed (e.g. a first takeoff window) must be replaced with a new takeoff window (e.g. a second takeoff window). If the estimator later discovers that he/she has miss counted or measured an assembly or item being counted or measured in the first takeoff window, the estimator must replace the second takeoff window with the first takeoff window before the estimator can go back and change the count or measurement of the assembly or item contained in the first takeoff window. These assembly and item lists frequently have tens of thousands of assemblies or items listed and can exceed one hundred thousand assemblies or items. Accordingly, the task of estimating construction costs with a computer system that permits the estimator to work with only one takeoff window at any given time can become quite awkward and time consuming.
A second computer system used for cost estimating purposes in the construction industry permits the operator or estimator to simultaneously bring up three takeoff windows on the display screen. While this system simplified and streamlined the task of cost estimating from print plans using a computer system, the estimator is still restricted to three takeoff windows and only three takeoff windows at any given time. The estimator can not use a different number of takeoff windows in his cost estimating effort. Accordingly, there has been a need to provide a cost estimating computer system and method which provides the estimator greatly increased flexibility by permitting the estimator to bring up or open at any given time any number of takeoff windows from one or more databases; to count and/or measure assemblies or items on any of the takeoff windows that have been brought up or opened; to bring up or open one or more additional takeoff windows at any time during the estimating process without having to close down any of the other takeoff windows currently being used to perform the estimate; and to close one or more selected takeoff windows while performing a cost estimate without having to close the other takeoff windows currently being used to perform the estimate.